A Virginia law banning a form of late-term abortions was struck down Wednesday, giving doctors the green light to use certain "partial birth" procedures.

A federal appeals panel in Richmond, Va., ruled 2-1 that the state's current law was too restrictive, and thus, unconstitutional.

"It imposes an undue burden on a woman's right to obtain an abortion," Judge M. Blane Michael wrote in the majority opinion.

Still, many state officials oppose the recent ruling.

"We are extremely disappointed with the divided decision," said J. Tucker Martin, spokesman for Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell. "We are reviewing the panel opinion at this time and considering all possible courses of action."

The panel's decision ignored similar legislation known as the "Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act" that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court (WHEN?).

Both laws prohibit doctors from performing "intact dilation and extraction," a procedure that involves removing the fetus, often crushing or damaging its skull.

The more widely used abortion procedure "dilation and evacuation" is permitted, however. During that process, doctors dismember the fetus from the womb.

"Unlike the federal act, the Virginia act subjects all doctors who perform (the more common procedure) to potential criminal liability, thereby imposing an unconstitutional burden on a woman's right to choose," Michael wrote.

The Virginia law does not protect doctors who intend to perform the allowed abortion procedure but end up accidentally performing the banned procedure.